


Be More Chill

by under_the_blue_moonlight



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz, Sanders Sides (Web Series), Thomas Sanders
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2019-06-06 14:45:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15197039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/under_the_blue_moonlight/pseuds/under_the_blue_moonlight
Summary: All Virgil wants is to get the guy of his dreams and to be more chill. Then, hope arises in the form of the school bully, Remy, offering him a solution: a pill sized super computer that helps you to be cool, called a SQUIP.





	1. Chapter 1

‘Come on... come on, load, you stupid computer!’

Virgil Heere growled at the screen of his laptop as he sat at his desk, waiting for the porn to appear so he could jack off quickly before school. His eyes kept flicking towards the clock as the minutes ticked away. Soon, he had no choice. Knowing he’d be uncomfortable for the rest of the day, he minimised the browser and closed the screen. He jumped to his feet, grabbing a pair of ripped black skinny jeans from the floor and pulling them on. He slipped on his purple converse and and black and purple patched hoodie before heading into the bathroom. He put on his foundation before grabbing his black eyeshadow. He started to put it on when the door opened and his dad stepped in.

‘Ugh! Dad, geez, can’t I get some privacy?!’ Virgil growled as he saw his father wasn’t wearing pants, as usual.

‘We’re all men in this house,’ Mr Heere replied, nonchalantly. ‘Pretend we’re in the army.’

‘Just, when I get home, please be wearing pants,’ Virgil begged. ‘Okay?’

‘Ten-hut!’

Mr Heere saluted in response, leaving the room. Virgil sighed rolling his eyes. He finished his make-up and made sure his bangs were perfectly styled to hang over his purple eyes. He turned and left the room. He grabbed his backpack, called a goodbye to his dad and stepped out the front door. Straight away he was met with his first big decision of the day: take the bus or walk to school. He took a deep breath, keeping the panic attack that threatened to occur at just the thought of having to make the decision. He wished he had a car, then he wouldn’t have to worry about this kind of stuff.

He weighed his to options. On one hand, a junior alone on the bus is weak and vulnerable, the perfect target. On the other hand, if he walked, he’d get all sweaty and would reek by the time he got to school. In the end, he chose the former and took a seat on the bus.

He was lucky. On the bus, he stayed quiet and out of the way, and managed to avoid being anyone’s punchbag.

School itself was a different story. Almost immediately after stepping into the building, he found himself being kicked in the balls, pushed and shoved, and being called names. ‘Emo Nightmare’, ‘Robert Downer Junior’ and ‘Charlie Frown’ were just a few nicknames.

Finally, he was actually able to get to his locker, where he found himself overhearing the conversation of Emile Picani and Patton Lohst. They were thought of as two of the most “cute” guys in the school, but they really weren’t the innocent cardigan-clad-clods they appeared.

‘So, Jack Rolan said Braoin told Thomas, “I’ll only have sex with you if you beat me at pool.” And then he lost at pool deliberately,’ Emile explained to his friend.

‘Wow, that was really clever of him,’ Patton replied.

‘Pat?!’ Emile questioned.

‘I mean slutty!’ Patton corrected.

‘And then,’ Jack Rolan tried to input, ‘Braoin was all- ’

‘I’m telling the story, Jack!’ Emile paused, seeing Virgil. He then whispered to the other two. ‘Oh my god, he was totally getting off on that.’

Virgil sighed, closing his locker. He headed down the corridor to his first class, Math, keeping his head down. However, this turned out to be a bad idea when he bumped into someone: Remy Goranski, the second-coolest (and definitive shortest) guy at the school.

‘Hey, don’t touch me, tall-ass!’ he growled, pushing Virgil back.

‘S-sorry, I was just... trying to get to- ’

Virgil was unable to finish as Remy pushed him against the wall, pulled a marker from his jacket’s pocket, and wrote something on the emo’s backpack.

‘Wash that off, you’re dead,’ Remy threatened, before turning away, catching sight of someone else in the hall. ‘Hey, Tommy S! What’s the story with Braoin?’

Thomas Sanders was the coolest guy in school, officially. Whilst being gay was something most people made fun of at the school, no one bullied Thomas for it, they praised him for it. It almost made Virgil want to come out... but then he’d remember that he’s unpopular, so he’d just be called a slur and probably get beat up for it.

‘Oh, I really shouldn’t say,’ Thomas replied to Remy. ‘But it’s a good thing I rock at pool.’

The two headed off down the corridor together, leaving Virgil alone. Knowing he was out of harms way, he turned and headed down the corridor the other way, heading to his math classroom. He made sure to keep his eyes straight ahead, avoiding eye contact with any other students. As he reached the end of the corridor, he finally got to get a good look at the poster he’d been staring at this whole time. It was a sign-up sheet for the after school play.

Virgil couldn’t help be tempted to sign. Sure, he didn’t particularly enjoy being in the spotlight, but it could be fun to act as part of the chorus.

But, then he remembered the stigma that came when being a guy doing drama. It was fine for guys like Thomas, but Virgil? Nope, he was not willingly putting his name down for a punch in the gut from Remy.

So, instead of writing down his name, he turned left around the corner before freezing.

There _he_ was.

Brown hair, styled perfectly. Glistening green eyes, like emeralds.

‘Roman Canigula...’

Feeling his anxiety kicking in, Virgil turned around, taking a deep breath to calm his heart rate.

‘Excuse me...’

Virgil turned around, finding himself face to face with Roman. He felt his face heat up. ‘Yeah?’

‘I think someone wrote “BOYF” on your backpack?’ Roman explained.

Virgil froze. He’d forgotten Remy had written on his backpack. He slipped it off his shoulder to see that Remy had indeed written the letters B-O-Y and F.

‘I... uh...’

Virgil bolted. He couldn’t help it. If he’d stayed, he would have ended up having a panic attack right in front of Roman. But now that he thought of it, just sprinting off like that was probably just as bad...

He didn’t have time to wallow , he had classes to get to. He’d just have to accept that he’d likely be a virgin until he died.

Great. Fantastic.

*   *   *   *   * 

Virgil managed to make it to lunchtime without anything of any interest happening. He didn’t run into Roman again, but he also managed to go unseen by anyone that was a risk or potential harm.

After he lifted his lunch tray, he looked around the hall for one specific person. When he finally saw them, he made his way over to them.

‘Logan!’

Virgil’s best friend looked up from his book as the emo sat town beside him.

Logan Mell was a nerd. The biggest nerd to ever exist. He literally wore a necktie all the time. He was top of all his classes. He spent his free time watching Sherlock or Doctor Who, reading or studying. He also had a weird fascination with retro stuff from the nineties. He and Virgil had been friends for twelve years. Now, they were pretty much inseparable. They had movie nights, played video games every day after schoo, and were pretty much as close as friends could get.l

‘Salutations, Virgil,’ Logan greeted. He paused, analysing Virgil’s expression. ‘You look like ass. May I inquire what is bothering you?’

Virgil slipped off his backpack and placed it on the table.

‘“BOYF”? What does that even mean?!’

Logan paused before picking up his own backpack from the ground. It had ‘RIENDS’ written on it. He placed it next to Virgil’s, making the word ‘BOYFRIENDS’.

‘I hate this school,’ Virgil muttered.

The two finished their lunch (Logan brought his own from home, which consisted of a cup of coffee and a jar of Crofters strawberry jam) before leaving the lunch hall and heading back into the school corridors.

‘I wrote Roman a letter telling him how I feel,’ Virgil brought up as they walked.

‘That’s progress!’ Logan showed a rare smile. Virgil sometimes wondered if he was the only one Logan smiled for. The nerd was usually really serious. Clearly, he wears a necktie. Serious people wear neckties.

‘I tore it up and flushed it,’ Virgil continued to reveal. Logan rolled his eyes, sighing. Virgil mumbled, ‘It’s still progress...’

‘I guess,’ Logan responded. ‘Hey, I read in a new book of mine yesterday that humanity has stopped evolving.’

‘That’s...good?’ Virgil was confused at Logan’s seemingly upbeat tone at reciting the fact.

‘Evolution’s the survival of the fittest, Virg. But now, because of technology, you don’t have to be strong to survive anymore, which means there’s never been a better time in history to be a loser.’ Logan gestured to both him and his friend as he said this. ‘So, um...’ He reached into his pocket and pulled out his vocabulary cards.

Logan was not quite up to date with modern slang. His only knowledge of slang was nineties, and he never even used that. One day, after Remy had used a few insults towards him that Logan hadn’t quite understood, Virgil jokingly said his friend should make vocabulary cards. Logan, being Logan, took this seriously and actually made them.

‘So, “own it”. Why try to be cool when you can be- ’

‘Signing up for the play!’ Virgil’s face suddenly lit up.

‘I was going to say actually studying for once- ’

‘No, look who’s signing up for the play!’ Virgil pointed to the end of the corridor. ‘Roman!’

Just as he said, Roman was stood in front of the bulletin board, pen in hand, writing his name on the play sign-up sheet.

The next thing Virgil knew, he felt his body moving through the air and saw his converse taking steps down the corridor. He found himself stood before the sheet with Roman’s name as well as others on it.

_Who cares if people think I’m lame? Roman signed, I’ll do the same._

He took the pen and wrote his name.

‘GAAAAAY!’ Remy’s voice jeered. The was an eruption of laughter from other students as well as a mumble of, ‘I like gay people,’ from Emile.

Virgil sighed. He knew he’d never be cool, he’d never be the main character of a story. He’s just an extra who’s always forgotten. He got by just surviving. But he didn’t want to do that anymore.

He wanted to more than survive.


	2. Scene 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil goes to the first play rehearsal and tries to impress Roman.

Virgil heart thudded in his chest as he stood outside the auditorium, where he knew Roman would be, waiting for play rehearsal to start. He reach forward to push the door open.

‘Nope!’ he pulled his hand away, shaking his head. He sighed, turning to Logan, who was stood just behind him, book in hand. ‘I guess evolution’s not for everyone.’

‘You don’t have to do this,’ Logan reassured. ‘Of course, I’ll mock you forever if you don’t.’

Virgil rolled his eyes, turning back to the door. He mumbled to himself, ‘C’mon, just go in, you can do this...’ He sent a glance back at Logan. ‘Fuck it.’ He pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Roman was the only person there so far. He was perched on the edge of the stage, doodling in a notebook. Virgil felt his face go warm, knowing it was probably bright red under his white foundation. He cleared his throat.

‘Yo!’

_Yo? Yo?! Since when do you say ‘yo’?!_

‘Yo,’ Roman responded, looking up from his notebook as Virgil made his way up to the stage.

‘I-is this where you meet for the play?’ Virgil asked, confused why no one else was around.

‘Nope, this is where you meet for the swim team,’ Roman replied. He paused, realising Virgil took what he’d said seriously. ‘I’m joking!’

‘O-oh! Oh, well, I’m Virgil! ...I mean...’

_Well done, reeeeeal smooth._

‘Are you okay?’ Roman inquired, concerned.

‘Hnnh?’

_What the heck was that?!_

‘You seem nervous,’ Roman explained.

‘N-No, I always... sweat this much...’ Virgil responded.

‘I get it,’ Roman nodded. ‘You’re a virgin.’

Virgil’s face went even redder. How the heck did Roman know about his sex life?! Well, more accurately, his lack of one.

‘First play rehearsal!’ Roman continued.

Virgil let out a sigh of relief. ‘You think I’m nervous about the play...’

‘Why else would you be shaking? A lot?’

Virgil laughed awkwardly. ‘Yeah, totally freaked.’

‘It’s okay,’ Roman reassured. ‘I’m a little jealous, actually. You never forget your first play rehearsal. Coming here is the highlight...’

‘Of your day?’ Virgil finished.

‘Yeah, right,’ Roman grinned. ‘Of my life! I love play rehearsal! It’s the best, it’s so fun! I get really depressed when it’s over. But not, like, “kill yourself” depressed, I am not into self-harm! See, check my arm if you want!’ Roman paused, pulling his sleeve back down. ‘Sorry. I’m just using to word to emphasise my passion for theatre. I have really strong feelings about so many things, gun control, spring, whether I’m living up to the high expectations society sets for me... I’m sorry if you’re finding it hard to keep track, I have a touch of ADD.’ He paused. ‘Where was I? Oh, right! Play rehearsal...

‘One of the parts I love the most is that you’re equipped with direction and text. Following a script means you know everything that’s going to happen, and what to do in any situation. The point I’m getting to is that sometimes life can’t work out like it works out in a play. I mean, the only time I’m the centre of attention is when I’m Cinderella’s prince, or Jason Dean, and can I just say, that was really one of my best roles, did you see that? I was incredibly commanding, I think. But, both the roles were straight, and it made me feel there aren’t strong homosexual roles for men in theatre these days, particularly high school theatre. Do you find that? Because I totally find that!’

Virgil quickly nodded, though he’d pretty much lost track on what Roman was talking about. The theatre geek continued.

‘But no matter how hard I try, it’s pretty much impossible to narrow down the hundred of reasons why I adore play rehearsal! It’s so universal, one person can play so many parts. I mean, most people just do one thing for their entire lives. The thought of that is just horrible to me, I have so many interests I want to pursue!

‘But look at me, just here monologuing to you about all this... I guess a part of me just wants to.’

‘Really?’ Virgil asked, hopes raising.

‘There’s also a part of me that wants to do this!’ Roman proceeded to make a crazy goblin freak-out noise. ‘So I did it!’

‘Uh...’ Virgil didn’t really know how to react to that. Roman was certainly eccentric, he new that, but Virgil still couldn’t help but find his enthusiasm charming.

‘Hehe, sorry about that,’ Roman laughed. ‘My brain’s just like “BZZZ!”. I get like that around rehearsal. Speaking of which... it should be starting soon!’

‘So, where’s everyone else?’ Virgil asked, looking around.

‘We’ve been slipping in membership lately,’ Roman replied. ‘I guess it’s just the two of us- ’

‘Woo-hoo!’

‘Let’s start this party!

‘Has this theatre always been here?’

Virgil groaned. He and Roman were going to be completely alone together, but Thomas, Remy, Patton, Emile and Jack just had to walk right through the doors. Roman hopped off the edge of the stage, and took a seat in the stalls, Virgil following suit. As they did so, a teacher walked onto the stage.

‘Oh thank god, the popular students have arrived. Hellooooo, everyone! My name is Mr Reyes. You may recognise me from Drama Class, or my full-time job at the Hobby Lobby. Thank you. I’ve been dreaming of the day I get to stage William Shakespeare’s classic “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”- ’

‘Yes!’ Roman grinned.

‘And today that dream dies.’

‘What?’

‘And is reborn!’ Mr Reyes continued. ‘Just... slightly mutated. The school has informed me that, unless I increase our popularity, our funds will be diverted. To the Frisbee Golf Team. Which is why _our_ production will not be ser, not in a pastoral forest, but a post-apocalyptic future. Instead of frolicking with fairies, there will be fleeing. From zombies.’

‘Don’t you care about Shakespeare?!’ Roman stood, outrage clear on his face.

‘The man is dead. Let it go,’ Mr Reyes replied. ‘We will now take a five minute break so I can eat a hot pocket.’

Mr Reyes started leaving the room, and the popular kids started following him in a similar flurry of noise they entered in. Thomas, however, hung back. He turned and walked up to Roman.

‘Hey. You were in the play last year.’

‘You mean Heathers?’ Roman asked.

‘Yeah, you were that guy who blew up!’

‘You mean J.D.?’

‘Yeah!’ Thomas nodded. ‘That was depressing.’

‘Thanks...’ Roman sighed.

‘But! ...You were good. I’m Thomas.’

‘I... know.’

‘Cool... Can I say something stupid?’ Thomas asked. ‘When I saw you die in the play last year... That was like the saddest I’d felt in a long time. It was like everything in my life, all the pressure I feel to be the best, at everything, all the time... Suddenly felt so small. And then, you came back on stage at the end for your victory dance...’

‘Bow, it’s called a bow,’ Roman corrected.

‘Right! I remember thinking, “I’m glad that guys not dead... before I ever got the chance to know him.” Stupid, right?’

Roman was staring at Thomas, eyes practically shimmering. ‘That’s... not stupid at all.’

‘Cool,’ Thomas nodded, a goofy smile on his face. ‘Hey, a bunch of us are going out after practice today. You should join. “Parting is such sweet...”’

‘Sorrow?’ Roman finished.

‘Yeah, whatever.’ Thomas turned to Virgil. ‘Hey, dude. Someone wrote BOYF on your backpack.’

Virgil sighed as Thomas turned and started heading towards the door. The emo regained his composure before trying to resume conversation with Roman.

‘So, I heard this thing about how humans aren’t evolving anymore?’

‘Hm? I’m sorry, Virgil. Did you say something?’ Roman asked, having been distracted by Thomas, who was smiling at him from the door.

‘Forget it...’ Virgil mumbled, getting to his feet and heading to the door.

Once again, he failed. He guessed it could have gone worse. He could have had a breakdown or panic attack.

He just wished Roman was aware that he was alive.


	3. Scene 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After drama rehearsal, Virgil bumps into Remy in the school bathrooms

Virgil mumbled to himself in annoyance as he furiously scrubbed at his backpack. Rehearsal had finished, and he was now in the boys’ bathrooms, trying his best to clean the lettering on it off. Behind him, the door swung open and Remy stepped inside. He looked at Virgil over his sunglasses.

‘I thought I told you not to wash that off.’

Virgil froze at the voice, before busying himself with looking through his backpack, trying to make it look like he was just looking through it the whole time. ‘Where’s my homework?’

Remy went up right behind him, turning Virgil to face him. ‘I’m talking to you, tall-ass!’

Virgil shrank back. ‘Why do you keep calling me that? I’m not even that tall.’

Remy shrugged, heading over to the urinal. ‘You could be, if you weren’t hunched over all scared all the time. They only thing more pathetic is the way you’re sneaking off to a stall to get away from me.’

Virgil froze. Busted.

Remy smirked as he undid his fly. ‘Stall’s for girls. You a girl, Virgil?’

‘How can you talk to people while you’re... y’know...’ Virgil gestured to the urinal Remy was stood by.

‘Confidence.’

‘You might wanna... watch the floor...’

Virgil said this because, just after Remy had responded, he suddenly started twitching. If Virgil had looked closer, he would have seen what looked to be circuits under his skin glowing yellow around the others’ eyes and on his hands.

‘Uh... I just remembered I don’t have to pee after all- ’

‘ **Don’t move** ,’ Remy demanded, his voice with an electronic layer over it. Virgil stopped where he had been edging towards the door. Remy turned to him, the glowing circuits were gone, but he held a menacing look in his eyes as he lifted his sunglasses to sit on his head. ‘You don’t remember me freshman year, do you?’

Virgil’s eyebrows furrowed. ‘You didn’t go here freshman year- ’

_SLAM._ Remy pounded the wall, shutting the taller boy up. ‘I DID! You just didn’t notice. Nobody did. Back in freshman year, I didn’t get girlfriends, I didn’t know what I was doing. In short, I was just like you are now. Hopeless, helpless...

‘But then, just as I was at my worst point, even considering suicide, I found my relief: I got a SQUIP.’

Virgil raised an eyebrow. ‘You got quick?’

‘Not quick. SQUIP.’

Virgil just shrugged, honestly confused why Remy was telling him all this. ‘I’ve just never heard of it before.’

‘That’s the point. This is some top-secret, can’t-even-look-it-up-on-the-internet shit. They’re made in Japan and are in the form of grey oblong pills, and contains a quantum computer. When ingested, the computer travels through your blood until it implants in brain and it tells you what to do.’

‘What? That’s not even possible.’ And Virgil knows a lot about computers. He was friends with Logan, after all.

However, he found Remy shoving him against the wall. ‘Shut up, tall-ass!’ There was a pause before Remy stepped back, letting Virgil go. ‘Sorry, old habits. Look, I’m sorry for treating you like human garbage all the time.’

Virgil blinked. He was apologising? Was this real life?

‘I only did it because my SQUIP said I had to,’ Remy continued. ‘But now it’s saying you’re not a bad guy. That you might want a SQUIP of your own. ‘Course, if you’re not interested...’

Virgil bit his lip, thinking about it. A chance to be cool, to not be bullied...

To have Roman finally notice and talk to him.

‘So it’s like... drugs?’ he asked, now interested in the pill at the thought of Roman.

Remy scoffed. ‘It’s better than drugs, Virgil. I repeat: They’re made in Japan and are in the form of grey oblong pills, and contain a quantum computer. When ingested, the computer travels through your blood until it implants in brain and it tells you what to do. It’s already all pre-programmed and it speaks directly to you. All you need to do a behave as it says, and BAM, you’re the coolest guy in school.

‘I’m telling ya, Virge, you may be hopeless, but you aren’t helpless. Pay the price, and your life’ll get so much better. I’ve got a hook-up, this guy works at Payless Shoes at the Menlo Park Mall. It’s six hundred.’

‘ _Dollars?_ ’ Virgil gasped.

‘It’s worth it,’ Remy insisted. ‘Bring the money on Monday. You’ll see.’ He turned and started heading to the door.

‘Uh, aren’t you gonna wash your hands?’ Virgil asked.

Remy chuckled, looking back at the emo over his shoulder. ‘Man, Virge. You _really_ need a SQUIP.’

He pushed his sunglasses back down before leaving the bathroom.

-

Virgil sat on his bed after school, headphones plugged in. The Sharpest Lives by My Chemical Romance blasted in his ears as he scrolled mindlessly through Tumblr.

The whole time, however, he couldn’t get his mind off everything Remy had told him in the bathroom.

A chance to be cool, to not be bullied, to have Roman finally notice and talk to him.

He knew right then, he was getting a SQUIP.


End file.
